 Nationally representative samples of prison inmates (2004, N = 18,200) and jail inmates (2002, N = 7,000)  Interviewers asked each inmate about symptoms of mental disorders they experienced within the last year  Self-reported mental disorders  State prisons: 73 percent of females and 55 percent of males  Federal prisons: 61 percent of females and 44 percent of males  Jails: 75 percent of females and 63 percent of males.

 State prisoners: 43 percent had symptoms of mania, 23 percent major depression and 15 percent psychotic disorder.  Federal prisoners: 35 percent had symptoms of mania, 16 percent major depression and 10 percent psychotic disorder.  Jail inmates: 54 percent had symptoms of mania, 30 percent major depression and 24 percent psychotic disorder, such as delusions or hallucinations

 Violence  61 percent of state prisoners and 44 percent of jail inmates had a current or past violent offense.  Recidivism  25 percent of state prisoners and 26 percent of jail inmates had served three or more prior sentences.  Drug and alcohol abuse  Inmates with self-reported mental health problems had high rates of drug and alcohol dependency and abuse in the year before they were confined ▪ 74 percent of state prisoners and 76 percent of jail inmates  37 percent of state prisoners and 34 percent of jail inmates said they used drugs at the time of their offense.  13 percent of state prisoners and 12 percent of jail inmates said they used methamphetamines in the month before their offense. Self-reported mental health problems: violence, recidivism, drug and alcohol abuse